Bills › 91st General Assembly
Relating to arbitrator awards concerning base wages in public employee collective bargaining and including effective date and applicability provisions
Sponsored by Sen. Charlie McClintock (R)
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedJanuary 12, 2026
- Done: SubcommitteeJanuary 14, 2026
- Stopped: Senate committeeDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: House committeeFunnel: by March 20, 2026
- Next: Passes the House
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Died when the session ended The 2026 session adjourned on May 3, 2026, the General Assembly’s last regular session. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
AI summary Currently, if a public employee group does not have at least 30 percent public safety workers, an arbitrator cannot award a base wage increase higher than 3 percent. This change raises that maximum allowed increase to 5 percent. It affects public employee groups starting their bargaining processes after the law is passed.1
Read the official explanation
Under current law, in an arbitration involving a public employee collective bargaining unit that does not have at least 30 percent of members who are public safety employees, the arbitrator’s award regarding any increase in base wages shall not exceed the lesser of two percentages in any one-year period in the duration of the bargaining agreement. One of the specified percentages is 3 percent. This bill increases the percentage to 5 percent. The bill takes effect upon enactment and applies to collective bargaining procedures pursuant to Code chapter 20 initiated on or after the effective date of the bill.
Why it matters. Public employee bargaining units that do not have a certain percentage of public safety members will see a change in how much their base wages can increase. Under this change, an arbitrator's award for a yearly wage increase can be higher than the current limit.2
Senate subcommittee
Named January 14, 2026. It hasn’t reported yet.
Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part